please please please stay away from dermatologists, they are nothing but trouble and their treatment medication they give you whether it be topical solutions or pills will only mask your acne problems. I havent had acne for a while now, mostly during my pubescent years however,I frequent here time to time to offer advice with what has benefited me in the past. I would recommend giving coconut oil a shot. Must be natural, virgin coconut oil, however if you try this, go easy on it and see how your skin reacts because I've read it is comodogenic for some. I use it as a tanning oil and love it, plus its got great skin healing properties with the likes of alpha hydroxy acid and vitamin E, Much better solution than that crappy shit those conventional 'skin experts' would offer you.

I know acne is tough, but you are pretty girl and if you treat your skin with respect, it will surely improve.

You are beautiful! I have loads of post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation, so while there is no real physical disfigurement, there is lots of cosmetic discoloring. And since I'm a guy in Alabama, I can't wear concealer. You are by far your harshest critic, and I can assure you that no one is, or should be, off-put by something that affects almost everyone. Always remember it is better to have scarring and be happy than to let it bring you down. God, that was all pretty corny, but you seriously are beautiful.

You look great! Nobody is going to scrutinize your skin as much as you do, so don't waste your time focusing on what you don't like about your skin. Try to focus on ways to improve it, but also live your life you have a lot going for you.

As for things to try for your skin, have you tried MSM cream? I ordered MRM's MSM cream which is supposed to be good for acne and scars, but I haven't tried it yet. If you search this forum, some people reported that they have had success with it topically.

You are a very attractive girl, scars or not. It is all about how we perceive them.

My mom has scarring very similar to yours and she says she doesn't care one bit and wouldn't even get treatments if they were free.

Until I was about 15 ( when my acne started coming and I started studying everyone's face closely) I never even knew she had scarring. I always knew her face was a bit uneven but i never bothered to stop and think because she never accentuates on her scars. Its all about how we carry ourselves. I got a decent amount of scarring as well, I feel down when I'm at home, but once I come outside and talk to people I never show that it bothers me and in 6 years of having scars and still getting some active acne to date not a single person in school or 4 jobs, or friends have ever made a remark or treated me different because of scars.

Most of the people that will look at your scars and study your face do not do so because they think of how disgusting it looks. They do so out of pure curiosity without thinking how much it can affect us.

This might sound overrated, but its true, you are not what your skin is.

Just take a look at yourself, you are a beautiful girl. Look at your beautiful eyes and your smile. Forget about these scars, they mean nothing. People who act differently toward others because of scars are people you should avoid. Those people will always be there, no matter what you do. Don't focus on them and live.

You say that no one wants to have a girlfriend, friend or coworker who has a marred, damaged face...

That is not true! First of all your face is not damaged or marred, it actually looks pretty good!

If you were my friend/coworker, I would not care a single bit and so wouldn't 90% of the people around you.

And trust me I'd be right there asking you out on a date

I am going to a consultation with a doctor in NJ tomorrow about my scarring. I have told them I am not interested in lasers.

Some of my scars are very similar to yours. If you would like, I can let you know what they say.

Don't worry about the scars. Seek treatments if they bother you, but don't let them take over your life!

Awe You're so Very Pretty!! I can tell you not to feel down about yourself but I have Somewhat similar scarring to you and I sometimes feel down myself. However, I am thinking of doing the Affirm Laser Treatment (I think that is what its called) soon. So maybe there's some hope but if not oh well. I am who I am and the people who love me will love me for me and not what I look like. IF that's the case then I don't need them or want them in my life! Stay Positive. God Bless.

Thanks everyone, not one negative reply and as you all know, it helps a lot. All the comments are appreciated.

Sometimes I feel I get a little too negative about my skin, maybe I am in a bad mood about something and I'll just start thinking overly negative about things that normally I am okay with. That was one of those times. Usually I can accept my skin, but I do constantly think about it and ways to make it better.

ii

Anyway, I have started using this serum I found at Sephora. It was hella expensive ($75 dollars for 1 oz) called Algenist Multi-Perfecting Pore Corrector Concentrate. It as Alguronic Acid. I don't know, it's very new & not a lot of reviews and I didn't buy it expecting it to help my scars, but because I also have large pores and know that when everything on my skin is kept to a minimum (pore size, active acne, redness, etc) my scars are way easier to deal with.

So I've been using this serum for a few weeks now. I couldn't recreate the lighting I was in from the prior pictures, but this was taken in everyone's worse enemy, florescent. I try to take these pictures in the most unflattering angle, lighting and camera setting as possible. As you can see from other pics I've posted, some angles and lighting my scars look non-existent. Let me know if my skin seems a little less rough, or if it's my imagination, or maybe just the damn lighting again.

Also opposite cheek, but they are almost identical as far as scarring goes.

Also, today I was at the gym (I always love going to the gym but never go because the lighting there is seriously HORRIBLE) and the receptionist girl had scarring deeper and worse than mine. I saw a lot of women on the machines with scarred skin too. I felt bad for feeling smug, but I did. I usually don't see a lot of people with skin like mine, not at one time in the same place. I think it's the lighting just brings out everyone's skin flaws 1000% also, but I felt a lot better today. Not feeling alone, in a real life setting.

Wanting to get VI peel done. Going to a dermatologist soon.

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I remember taking photos of my scar all the time when I was obsessed with it; one time it looked so wonderful but then later it was horrible. lol It's a tricky thing. I've learned not to draw any conclusions too soon from photographs. But in the pic on the left it does look a bit better...I think.

I've said this before but I actually like your scarring. It "adds character", I think you say in America. I like it. haha I really do.

I'm going to echo what people have said already: You're a stunning girl. Very pretty features. I definitely understand how you feel about the scarring. Mine is more of hyper pigmentation marks and dark stuff, but it definitely takes a toll mentally. We're all our own worst critics in the long run, and no one studies our skin in day to day life in zoom-in mode like we do. I wish you the best with any new treatments you undertake. Just remember that you're very attractive and hang tough!

I sympathise and I am sure we all know how you feel. I have had acne problems since my teens and now I am 33 and still dealing with it. Oily skin, indented scars, hyper pigmentation and the odd cyst are a hassle to deal with. I wish I just had the indented scars you have and none of the other issues. I think you look really good and I hope one day you will see what I and the other posters here see which is a lovely looking woman.

I am really sorry that people have been so mean to you over the years but I say fuck em! People like that are not worth a thought.

Sometimes it is good to talk to other people going through the same issues as we can all support each other. When you are feeling down coming here to talk will help you feel better.

I completely understand what you’re going through. Honestly, to that last detail. My photos do no justice on how severe my scarring is. So while I apologize that you’re going through this, I also wanna give you props for being brave enough to expose you’re insecurities. In my opinion, that’s the first step. Healing can begin

From girl to girl, I can relate. People tell me constantly that I’m very pretty despite my scars, that my personality outshines any physical flaw, that they’re really not that bad. I’ve heard it all. And our initial response is to think they’re lying to make us feel better, or maybe they just want us to shut up about it, but please know that you’re not alone in this. EVERYONE is struggling with a mind set that says “ I’m just not good enough” Or pretty enough, skinny enough, tall enough, PERFECT enough. And

Once again, I’m so sorry that you’re having to get past this hurdle. But my advice to you is what I’m telling myself day in and day out. Play the hand you’re dealt. So what? You’re flawed. But aren’t we all? Life is happening right now and we’re obsessed over our skin and perfection and what society thinks about us. Take a stand today- “ I will love myself unconditionally.”

And remember you’re defined as a package made up of features. You’re not definied by your “flawed” feature alone. You are good enough

I've heard nothing but great things about rose hip seed oil for scarring. And i've used it on my skin many times. It's the driest oil i've ever used, as well as the thinnest.

i'm of the opinion that you are very attractive. This is my opinion, and beauty is such a subjective thing. Here are words to live by (not my own)

"You wouldn't care so much about what other people think about you, if you realized how little they do"

And that isn't a negative thing, as in 'no one cares about me'. It's more a reality. People are self-absorbed, and while you are thinking about your skin and enveloped in your own thoughts...others are not a part of those thoughts. Unless you make them a part of them by expressing displeasure in yourself.

I can understand what you are going through. I am a guy which its more acceptable on. My acne scarring is a lot worse. I am 24 now and most of the acne is gone but I was left with severe scarring on my cheeks and forehead. some are big indentations. I notice also that in some lighting they are very disfigiuring looking.

I know where you're coming from. Im a guy and wear bbcream to cover my red marks/butterfly seb derm/rosacea. It's humiliating. No one has commented on it but I use the drugstore brand which is difficult to make undetectable.

Im putting all my bets on multiple laser procedures to get rid of the redness and raised scarring on my inner cheeks/nose/forehead.

I dont think I'll ever end up with a gf but I honestly just want to be able to focus on myself and career without looking at my reflection every 20 seconds

Cant stand when other guys complain about girls wearing makeup or preach about "natural beauty" Society expects men to be rugged and not wear makeup yet have perfect skin with no redness. Moreover, it seems plastic surgery is lagging behind the standards of the media. It's a truly sick world.